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Youth Development Specialist

Job Title
Youth Development Specialist
Job ID
27666654
Location
Chicago,  IL 60619
Other Location
Description
Comer Education Campus
Job Description

Position Title:     Youth Development Specialist
Dept & Initiative:      Programs General - 1000
Reports to:         Program Director
Status:                      Part Time, Hourly, Permanent)
Schedule:            Mid Day to Evening, varies based on programming needs

Gary Comer Youth Center: Having opened its doors in June 2006, the state-of-the-art Gary Comer Youth Center (GCYC) offers positive extracurricular alternatives in a welcoming and safe environment. The mission is to provide the support for all of our youth to graduate from high school, prepared to pursue college and careers. Located on Chicago’s South Side, the Gary Comer Youth Center draws its primary membership from the youth residing on the South Side of Chicago with a focus on Grand Crossing residents.  GCYC is the oldest and largest institution sitting on the Comer Education Campus which includes our organizational partners Gary Comer College Prep High School, the South Shore Drill Team and Gary Comer Middle School. For more information, please visit: www.garycomeryouthcenter.org.

Comer Education Campus: With a comprehensive approach to education and youth development, the Comer Education Campus is devoted to guiding young people to and through college and into adult life. The campus constitutes a unique partnership between Gary Comer Youth Center, Gary Comer College Prep, Gary Comer Middle School, and the college success initiative UtmostU. The campus serves over 2,000 youth from across Chicago’s South Side, offering out-of-school time enrichment, academic enhancement, and college success programs. Working with best-in-class partner organizations, the Comer Education Campus empowers young people with the tools they need for post-secondary and life success. For more information, please visit: http://comereducationcampus.org/

Position Summary
 GCYC is looking for a dynamic, energetic youth development professional to serve in the essential role of Youth Development Specialist. Specialists will spend the majority of their time engaged in instruction, activities, and planning of programming for young people aged 11-18.  With a focus on positive youth development, Specialists will be utilized across all 8 of GCYC’s programming areas: Media & Technology, Culinary Arts, Sports & Recreation, Urban Agriculture, College Preparation, Arts, Civic Engagement and Leadership, and Youth Employment. The ideal candidate will have a genuine interest in our youth and their well being and be passionate about providing them the opportunity to enrich their lives.

The programming run at GCYC happens primarily in the after school hours: afternoons and evenings, with some special events and weekends. Flexibility for school holidays, breaks, and camps is a must.


Essential Functions and Responsibilities:
 
  • Plan and implement programming on a year round basis to include skill development, career exploration, and engagement.
  • Develops, implements and evaluates related quality programing and activities to achieve specific goals and outcome measurement.
  • Drafts and collects detailed records, program statistics and produces reports with respect to volunteers and participant assessments for related programs.
  • Writes reports and articles, and produces program marketing materials routinely and as needed.
  • Maintains supply and equipment inventory.
  • Responsible for the recruitment and retention of program participants, with a target average daily attendance at or exceeding 80%
  • Organize and conduct neighborhood school outreach and community engagement.
  • Seeks out and maintains partnerships and opportunities to grow and develop their programming.
  • Guide and foster department collaborations for specialty programming and curriculum.
  • Creates lessons and opportunities for programs to hone and teach life skills
  • Manages classroom through positive youth development practices
  • Other duties as assigned
Miscellaneous:
  • Responsible for maintaining a physically and emotionally safe environment to further ensure proper youth supervision and managing conduct issues and incidents.
  • Attends required staff meetings and trainings.
  • Works with other staff to execute effective outreach, recruitment and retention strategies.
  • Responsible for accurate data collection and data entry for grant and program compliance.
  • Supports the mission of GCYC.
  • Works collaboratively in a team setting serving the needs of youth.
  • Is committed to the safety and development of all GCYC members.
  • Takes on other duties as needed.
  • Serves as a role model for youth and community.
  • Abides by the employee handbook and established GCYC policies and procedures.
Qualifications
 
  • Ability to deliver age appropriate programs and activities that lead to positive youth development outcomes, internal and external competences and skills.
  • Ability to develop program plans and curriculums that are intentional, research backed and measurable.
  • Self-directed and motivated, able to prioritize goals and tasks, exercise efficient time     
management.
  • Ability to exercise independent judgment in assigned area of responsibility.
  • Ability to supervise youth and influence peers to act.
  • 2+ years experience in after school programming or youth coaching
  • 2+ years experience in youth engagement

Education & Skill Requirements
      •  
  • Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with others, including Instructors, parents and community partners.
  • Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills necessary to interact with internal and external customers.
  • Positive, organized, active, innovative and creative in your approach to working with youth.
  • Energetic and enthusiastic about youth development theory and practice.
  • Seen by youth as approachable and a valuable source of advice, even in matters not directly related to the course.
  • Ability to stimulate, direct and pace instruction to evoke wonder and encourage consistent participation.
  • Is consistently well prepared, provides clear objectives and makes difficult topics easy to understand.
  • Is sensitive to youth’s motivation and differentiates instruction according to the various activity and ability levels of youth.
  • Uses a strengths based approach to provide consistent and critical feedback to  youth.
  • Uses feedback from youth and coaching from others to assess and improve instruction.
  • Is goal oriented, data driven and outcomes focused in your work.

Core Competencies
 
      •  
  • Must possess genuine care and concern for youth – especially pre-teens and teens.
  • Program area management skills that are engaging, non-oppressive and age appropriate.
  • Strong project management and organizational skills.  Must be able to initiate and finish projects.
  • Able to communicate effectively with youth, co-workers, stakeholders and families in a respectful and culturally competent manner via written and verbal communication.
  • Must enjoy working with teams but can also work independently.
  • Enjoys being the leader but is also confident enough to take directions from others.
  • Must be able to take initiative and problem solve.  Must be a creative thinker.
  • Demonstrates strong accuracy in all areas of work.
  • Must possess adaptive vitality.
  • Demonstrates understanding of the positive youth development philosophy.
  • Demonstrates an understanding of guidance and discipline principles & conflict resolution strategies.
  • Must demonstrate cultural competency, dedication to working with youth, families and community members in our care.
  • Must have basic computer literacy skills – including Microsoft Office, independent use of the internet and ability to learn and properly utilize software systems.

Physical Work Requirements & Environment:
The GCYC environment is consistently bustling with youth and community members.  The Center’s work is fast paced and varied.  Our work is done on site where our youth and families are.   Therefore, it is required that team members meet these requirements:
 
  • Have the ability to lift up to 25 pounds.
  • Physically capable to run, jump and play consistently with youth for 3 hours or more.
  • Must be able to work in all weather conditions, including outdoors for 3 or more hours per day.
  • Possess the ability to stand and walk for long periods during field trips and group outings.
  • Be able to stand and move with youth during special events.
  • Must be able to ride various modes of transportation including school and coach buses, airplanes, cars, vans and public transportation.
  • Can operate in crowds or with small groups.
  • Able to complete administrative work in a shared office space within a youth center.
  • A flexible schedule for evening and some weekend hours is required during school year.  Summer hours have a more traditional work schedule.



 

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